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Duel: The Haunted House Actually Strikes Back - Refurb Incoming

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jon81uk said:
It's not just notaglia, children see things very differently to adults. So as a child you saw an amazing CATCF ride. But the adults noticed the wasted space between each scene and the fact there wasn't any signficant animation to the figures on the ride and similar.
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Even I'm Guilty of this. I remember when I first went to Drayton Manor, back when I was 7ish, and I went on my first (and only) ride on Pirate Adventure, I was terrified but loved it. I remember the drop feeling like 50 degrees, and the scenes being very unsettling purposely XD.

When I look back now at a POV, it really does show the power of How Kids see things differently to when you're older and matured.

But I've never been on the Haunted House, heck, I wasn't even born when it opened as Duel.
Admittedly, Duel is and will always be in my childhood, but just from sheer POVs, I'd pick the Haunted House over it any day without hesitation.
 
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Trooper Looper said:
Even I'm Guilty of this. I remember when I first went to Drayton Manor, back when I was 7ish, and I went on my first (and only) ride on Pirate Adventure, I was terrified but loved it. I remember the drop feeling like 50 degrees, and the scenes being very unsettling purposely XD.

When I look back now at a POV, it really does show the power of How Kids see things differently to when you're older and matured.

But I've never been on the Haunted House, heck, I wasn't even born when it opened as Duel.
Admittedly, Duel is and always be in my childhood, but just from sheer POVs, I'd pick the Haunted House over it any day without hesitation.
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I still remember riding PA on my own years ago, and I was sat next to a family with a young child. The child was terrified, so I told them it was nearly over (or something along those lines), and I remember one of the adults telling them "look, this man says it's nearly over" (or something like that).
 
Danscott22 said:
It is open, someone on Twitter said there are some new smoke effects inside the ride, and some changed lighting I think? not sure about the facade though.
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Well let's just hope that the altered lighting have a more positive impact on the ride unlike its 2018 lighting. It'd be nice for them to being back some theatrical UV lighting in there.
 
Found this video not long ago about the Queue. Unfortunately, no physical changes to back what it use to be, but I'm still thrilled that they brought back the Vestibule Soundtrack. It's hard to hear on the video, but it's there.

Credit goes to the Youtube Channel of Gavin Lloyd
 
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Themeparksandy1981 said:
Do u think from a general guests point of view will they be more annoyed if they removed the guns and targets after nearly 20 years. As really now I only go on the ride to try to get the highest score.
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I used to only ride it because of the blasters as well, but after a few rides I found myself enjoying it more without the blasters than actually using them. I think when you actually try to let it do what's it was made for, that being a heavily detailed ghost train, it really excels at it.
 
I was recently watching some early/mid 90s Alton footage, it's not just Nostalgia the area and ride looking better in that first era, none of the goofiness had been added it seems. But it's the guns that really kill it for me, call me boring but I sometimes just leave them holstered, but then you still have rooms full of random LEDs. The effects and theming don't have to be world class, just ride the Ghost Train at Blackpool for reference, very dated, but very fun.
 
Pawkins said:
The effects and theming don't have to be world class, just ride the Ghost Train at Blackpool for reference, very dated, but very fun.
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This is exactly what I've Been saying for ages now. It's nice to see people agree that not every great attraction has to be on Disney Standards, and sometimes they're great because they're not world class. I'd still have Duel or the Haunted Houses over Symbolica any day.
 
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Are there any plans to restore the once excellent Haunted House to its former glory? For years it seems to have degraded and become a bit of a naff side show. This used to be such a great attraction (always needed more Hologram ghosts) and was a much needed dark ride. What happened to it?
 
Luke Shipley said:
Are there any plans to restore the once excellent Haunted House to its former glory? For years it seems to have degraded and become a bit of a naff side show. This used to be such a great attraction (always needed more Hologram ghosts) and was a much needed dark ride. What happened to it?
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rob666 said:
The "Duel, Time to say goodbye" topic, just a few topics down in this "general discussion" group of topics, runs to a rather tedious forty pages, and several hundred posts.
The majority view seems to be that the Haunted House was better, but was neglected over the years.
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As mentioned by @rob666 - there is already a thread for this, so I've moved the discussion here :)
 
At least that Alton is aware of the ride turning 30 this year. From theme park worldwide March 2021 vlog there, they seems to have added a wooden grave celebrating 30 years of the Haunted House.

I know it's not much, but it's better than nothing :)
 
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